Slave
by SexyKnickers
Summary: The Eugenics Wars is in full bloom and Chloe Masterson is forced into slavery. When she meets the great Khan noonien singh, her world is turned upside down. For Khan, Chloe is an unexpected puzzle that he intends to solve. Will love blossom between the two or will she perish along with the rest of the human race? (Khan/ John Harrison/ OC)
1. Chapter 1: The Great and Terrible Khan

**Disclaimer: I own nothing from the Star Trek franchise. I only own my own plot and characters. **

**A/N: Wow, so this is the first fic I've been able to complete in a long time. I am sorry for that btw. I just haven't had enough inspiration to actually fully finish a story that I cook up because there is always another to take it's place. But I am determined to finish this one, so stay tuned and enjoy.**

**Sexyknickers**

**Slave**

**By Sexyknickers**

**Chapter 1. The Great and Terrible Khan**

I never expected in a million years that my life would turn out the way it has. I had my life all planned out. Go to college, meet a nice man, get married and have kids. I wasn't asking for much was I? In retrospect, I feel as if I've been a good person so far. So why in the hell am I, along with so many others being punished for the fact that we're merely _human?_ Didn't God make us in his image? That's what I've been taught since childhood, that along with the fact that Jesus Christ died for our sins.

My father always said that human race is fundamentally flawed, but that is what makes us 'oh-so' unique. Not one of us is the same, like snowflakes we all have our own unique shape and we should always be thankful for that. I always kept his words close to my heart, knowing deep down that his words of infinite wisdom would always give me strength. I so was fucking naïve back then, but how was I supposed to know that our very existence was to be jeopardized by a bunch of superhuman freaks?

The Augments appeared to us out of nowhere. Like a massive hurricane, they came crashing into our hearts in minds, instilling fear within all of us humans.

_" Everything you know about life has changed…"_ I recalled one of them saying on the TV.

Those very words were televised throughout the entire planet, ensuring that we knew what was happening.

_" We are the new rulers of the world…"_

At first, I thought they were joking. It seemed too ridiculous to be true. Reality hit me like a huge ton of bricks when the newsreels started coming in. I distinctively remember the White House being turned into nothing but rubble. The once great symbol of the American Nation was gone in the blink of an eye. Like so many other monuments, the message was clear as day._ The world you knew is gone!_

We tried to fight back, but that only caused more destruction and violence across the globe. It took about three weeks for us to realize that we had lost. That's when they started to come after us. We literally had no warning the day they came to our town either. We were promised a peaceful existence as long as we accepted them as rulers. Hah! What a crock. Peaceful? _Ha, peaceful my lily-white ass. _

My family and I barely escaped the raids with our lives, but we somehow managed to escape into the Appalachian Mountains near Shenandoah, Virginia. Thankfully we had a small, but comfortably secluded cabin deep in the woods. It belonged to our grandparents before they died. Even now I can still smell the musty pinewood mixed with cinnamon that filled the small cabin. The small little reminders of their existence during the six months that we lived there helped us all get through the tough times. It was our little safe haven in the woods while the world around us was going to shit.

My parents were both fighters as well as being survivalists. They both thought that we could wait out the tyrannical rule of the Augments, so sure that just like Nazis, they'd eventually meet their end. We all thought so, but we were idiots. These beings are smart and probably figured that some of us would find a way to hide. Too bad they knew exactly where to look.

I was bathing in a near by stream when they found us. I shouldn't have been there in the first place, but I was. I remember the Zeppelin-like planes as their engines roared like hurricanes above us. I stupidly ran back to the cabin to warn my parents only to find them both dead on the ground. They were finally here and I was surrounded, trapped like a deer in the headlights. I was immediately dragged away and then shoved into one of their mini Zeppelins before I could really process what had happened. I don't remember much after that, not for a while at least. A mind numbing sensation deprived me of all emotion for what seemed like years as I mentally tried to cope with the traumatic loss of my parents and everything I had known.

Reality finally hits me like a truck when I, along with dozens of other human _slaves _are shoved onto a cargo ship to be sent to a destination unknown to us. Eons of time seem to pass as the ship floats steadily along the ocean. As day's turns into weeks, more and more of us are becoming sick due to the rather unhealthy, and quite frankly disgusting conditions we are forced to endure.

The room we are all contained in is made of steel with no widows. There are about five toilets, if you can even call them that. More like holes in the floor that reek of excrement's. The food given to us on a daily basis is oatmeal –like paste. Tasteless, but it keeps us alive. There are water jugs filled once a day from so no one ever goes thirsty. The beds, or cardboard with blankets are filled to the max. Some have about five people per bed. Others who are unable to find a bed sleep on the floor with a meager blanket to keep them warm.

I'm one of the lucky ones though; I found a bed with two other people. A five-year-old little girl with red hair, brown eyes and freckles named Willow and a nice elderly lady named Janice. If it wasn't for their graciousness and company, I'd of gone bat-shit long ago. We've formed a close-knit bond with each other, all clinging on to the hope that we'll some how get this terrible ordeal. Even though deep in my subconscious, a part of me know that hope is futile. This is our life now.

Death reeks within our steely cage when some people had finally decided to end their torments. Can't say I blame them, they'd had enough and needed an escape. More morbid thoughts continue to plague me as time goes on. I lapse into a quite doze, but the nightmares make me force myself to stay awake for as long as I can. Better living in the real world rather than being haunted by old memories. As people begin to stir awake I know that soon the Augments will come to give us our daily meal.

People grab their bowls in readiness when the ship suddenly comes to a complete stop. Frightened whispers and murmurs echo within the room. Nothing is said between us, but I can tell that Willow is anxious. She buries her head in my chest, seeking comfort while Janice's snores continue to echo throughout the room. I can't help but chuckle at this. She once told me that she could sleep through anything, turns out she was telling the truth.

"Clo, Clo, what's going on?" Willow asked her usual child-like voice.

" I don't know," I murmured as I hold her to me.

Footsteps echo from above, their steps all synchronized as they march across the deck with a haunting purpose.

_" Our death march…"_ My inner voice murmurs solemnly.

A flurry of sound, voices and movement echo from above for the next half hour as we continue to wait in silence for our fate to finally be revealed. No one speaks a word. No one dares to. What can anyone say at this point? Our lives are no longer our own to dictate, we belong to them now. So logically, how would any of our opinions change the fact? Then, a new set of steps immediately breaks me out of my silent revere.

We hear the familiar creaks and groans of the steps above us, as more than one of them come down the stairs. We all continue to wait, poised and ready for whatever comes next. The door finally opens after what seems like an age. In steps five male Augments, all dressed in black body suits with white belts and boots, except for one.

_" Oh my!" _

He's so…. handsome, the one dressed in a red body suit with a gold belt with black boots that adorn his feet. He's not ethnic like the other two, but slightly pale, which in no way hinders his magnificence. He's tall, lean and nicely built like a swimmer. His face is slightly thin, but chiseled, especially his cheekbones, giving him a more aristocratic appeal. His dark hair is slicked back and his eyes, oh those eyes, their ice blue texture is like shards of ice in a winter's storm. They seem to pierce right through your very soul as the gaze at you. And those lips of his are utterly kissable.

He holds a handkerchief up to his nose, blocking out the reeking smell of death, excrement's and God knows what else that lingers within this steely cage. His eyes are cold, almost menacing as they observe us with a mild hint of disgust. I want to shrink away from such a gaze, suddenly feeling ashamed for being found in such a way, but I can't. Something deep inside me compels me to keep my eyes trained on this beautiful man before me. It's as if he unknowingly put some sort of hypnotic spell over me.

" A gift from Alexander Newton, sire. Our brother from North America." One of the Augments in black intoned.

The beautiful man in red and gold merely nods his head as he continues to silently survey us.

" I assume they were processed as per usual?" The man in red asked the others with mild interest. His voice, dear God, its positively sinful. Like silk running up and down your skin after eating chocolate.

" Yes sire," Another Augment replied.

I can't stop staring at this man, this creature. His very presence is magnetic and oh-so alluring. All eyes are on him and him alone, all of us just as stunned by this man.

" Do inform him that I greatly appreciate his gift. They will be very useful to us indeed," The man in red replied.

A surge of anger swells deep from within me as it slowly bubbles to the surface. A gift? Oh how pretentious of him to even say so. Why lie and create a misperception? We are nothing but subhuman chattel to them. If they had any common decency they'd at least be honest about that, but no, they're cold, cruel and so utterly callous as well as being maliciously vindictive.

" Yes sire," Another Augment in black replied.

The beautiful man in red continues to hold a white handkerchief up to his face as he continues to inspect us. Despite my fear, I can't help but glare at the now repulsive creature-like man. I let all of my hate, rage and disgust show on my face as the Augment in red nears us. He occasionally grabs one of us to stand in front of him as he continues to inspect us, occasionally poking and prodding random people like were pieces of meat.

When he finally makes his way towards our section, I immediately catch his eye. At first I thought he was looking somewhere else. In the short amount of time that I've been in his company I realize that he can appear to be looking at something, when in fact, he's looking at something else. I don't realize that he's staring strait at me until Willow's frantically tugging at my sleeve. I inwardly gasp, but manage to maintain a semblance of composure when I stare straight at him with all the hate, anger and disgust that I can muster. I want him to know just how much I fucking despise him and his kind.

We both just stand there, on the precipice of something I can't decipher. The fear that's been simmering underneath the surface starts to show itself a bit when my hands start to shake, but I manage to maintain control. Our silent standoff goes on for what seems like forever, but it's only a mere minute or so. A cold chill suddenly runs through me when he smirks, grinning like a Cheshire cat that had just eaten a mouse. A sickening sensation follows when he gently fingers a few strands of my hair.

I hold my breath, but keep my eyes trained on the man before me. He mutters something under his breath in another language that I don't understand before releasing my hair from his grasp. His expression of mirth disappears from his face, replaced with his usual cold demeanor. He steps away from me and then discreetly nods to one of the four men, indicating something that I know not. Then, all too sudden, I'm suddenly grabbed by one of the ones in black. I scream and thrash in his grasp and this causes him to tighten his hold on my arm.

" Let me go you freak!" I yelled.

Everyone within the room watches the scene in silent terror, but no one comes to my aid. I am trapped, destined for something that I've yet to discover. Hell, do I even want to know? Then, Willow breaks out of Janice's grasp. She asked for Willow to remain there, but Willow wouldn't have it.

" Pleeeeese-pleeease don't take Clo, Clo away frowm me!" She cried aloud she grasps the edge of my tattered skirt.

I try to grab her, but she's harshly pushed away from me by another augment. She cries as she falls down to the ground. I can see a faint hint of blood from her scraped knee.

" You bastards!" I exclaimed as I try to wiggle out of his grasp, but he maintains his steely grip.

The man in red watches the scene with mild interest. A young woman in a pair of tattered jeans and a T-shirt grabs Willow, holding her in her arms as tries to comfort the poor child. Poor Willow, she must be so scared right now. I wish it were I comforting her instead of the other woman. The man in red continues to stare at me a few moments more with an almost peculiar expression on his face before refocusing his attentions back on to the rest of the people in the room.

I watch in horror as the other augments start to round up other people while the man in red watches with an almost triumphant smirk on his face. The bastard. He's actually reveling in our misery. Ten people, including myself, are then forced to separate into two rows. Two augments then lead us up the stairs and onto the deck of the ship. The heat is nearly stifling as we are lead out into the blinding sun. I raise my arm above my eyes to block it out, but I'm too weak to even do that at the moment.

My body feels like lead as the lead us across the deck. Augments, both male and female, march across the deck in a perfect precession. Reminding me of robots, which is a tad bit creepy in my opinion. We're then lead to a huge vehicle with cage bars in the back. They shove us into the car like animals and then one of the female augments roughly grabs me to her side. She then slaps a red bracelet on my left wrist before almost shoving me back into the vehicle.

" Make sure she is prepared for her duties. Khan expects nothing less than perfect," The female ordered a burly looking augment with red hair.

Khan, who the fuck is Khan and what 'duties' am I expected to perform? Oh God I hope it's nothing of a sexual nature. Lord please help me if it is. As if reading my mind, the blonde haired female Augment smirks.

" The King wouldn't sully his hands, human!" She spat, " You are to be his new maid."

A sigh of relief escapes my lips even if my new role isn't anything to cheer at. At least this Khan won't molest me on a regular basis. I just hope that I am about my deductions about this Khan. I'm finally shoved rather harshly into the back of the vehicle and manage to find a seat on the end of one of the benches. The car lurches forward before it finally moves. It isn't for a while before someone decides to speak.

" Some people get all the luck," A rather frail looking woman with short grey hair intoned rather spitefully.

" What do you mean?" I asked.

She glares at me, replying, " You are to be the Kings maid. That means good food, a shower, a decent toilet and a nice bed while the rest of us are either stuck in the kitchens or worse."

" Well it's better than working in those darn factories. I heard that some of the people there have to sleep on a thin rug, eat gruel and have to do their business in buckets," An attractive woman with a southern accent quipped.

" I'd have that over being the Kings maid any day. Lord knows what he'll do to me once we get to wherever we're going," I replied.

An older woman, with a New York accent who looks like she's in her 80's interjects herself into the conversation.

" Hey, if he asks you to do anything you shut your eyes and think of Hawaii. Let me tell yah, it worked for me during my 40 years of marriage."

Everybody within the car chuckles, including myself. Ironically, the 80-year-old New Yorker kind of reminds me of Sophia from the _Golden Girls_.

" I'll keep that in mind," I chuckled.

Hours pass in silence. I slip into a light doze, but sleep evades me. I'm unable to relax, not when I feel like I'm walking on eggshells. I'm fully awake when the car suddenly comes to a complete stop. The murmur of frightened voices fill the vehicle as we hear the tell tale patter of the synchronized footsteps not far off.

We're then carted off to a building where we're then forced to take showers in one big room together. They don't even have the decency to separate the sexes. It's like one big cesspool of filth. My body itches in the new starchy uniform that I'm forced to wear; a blue cotton wrap slug over a simple white dress, along with slipper like shoes. It's pretty much what I believe what simple Indian garb would look like. I put my now washed long blonde hair in a simple braid and then join the rest of them in what looks like a simple locker room.

Another female augment with bright red hair comes into the room. Her ice blue eyes glare at us in contempt as we ready ourselves for what was to happen next.

" I assume you are all aware of what is to become of you?" She spoke in a slight French accent.

We all remain silent and continue to stare at her instead.

" Let it be known that trying to escape is futile. Also, stealing is a capital offence and you are always to bow to your King when he first enters the room. A sign of disrespect will result in your immediate death by gunshot. Am I understood?"

" Yes," We all reply in solemn tones.

" Good," She said in a fake cheery tone, " Now, I believe that one of you is marked with a red ribbon. If so, show yourself immediately," She ordered.

I gulp and hesitate to show myself, but in doing so would mean I'd be punished. I take a hesitant step forward and barely manage to look her in the eyes. She stares at me, her eyes are void of emotion as she checks the small tattooed bar code on my left wrist.

" Chloe Masterson. 27 years old, found near the Appalachian Mountains, near West Virginia. You are fortunate in your protector."

" My…protector?" I questioned.

" Yes, the King personally requested that you were to be his new maid," She replied nonchalantly as she continued to finger through some papers.

Khan, who I assume is the King, requested me? Oh dear Lord this is not good. Here I am stuck in some town in India, now to be subjected to whatever tickles this so-called 'King's' fancy. I want to ask why, but I refrain from doing so. Asking too many questions would most defiantly not be in my favor.

" I see…" I intoned.

The female smiles back at me, almost cat-like in nature as she continues to quietly assess me with those cold eyes of hers.

" The King likes his playthings with a little bit of fire," She chuckled.

I glare, feeling indignant all of a sudden. How dare she talk down and demean me. Just because she's my genetically superior counterpart, that doesn't make her any better than I. As far as I'm concerned her lack of humility is what makes her a lesser being. I was always taught that it's not who we are or where come from, it's what we do that defines us. It's how we treat our other fellow beings.

" Anita, please take Masterson to her new quarters. His excellency will no doubt like to break her in before she begins her duties," She almost chuckled, as if she was enjoying her own private joke.

Well, not so private. It doesn't take a genius to know the double meaning behind her words. Break me in indeed. If I could, I'd break her in, break her fucking jaw!

I'm lead by another servant, who leads me on in silence. Fear shines in those beautiful blue eyes like a beacon. I want to somehow console this poor woman, but words escape me. She finally decides to break the silence after a few minutes of walking in silence.

" A word of advice, always try to be punctual. He hates it when anyone's late. Also, make sure your hands are always clean when you serve his meals. He always checks if they're not. Also, and most importantly, be wary of his charms. He sees us as his playthings and will use them until you submit to him completely," She whispered frantically, as if she's afraid that anyone could lurk in the corners listening.

" Submit to him completely. Do—do you mean sex?" I whispered.

She frowns and the replies, " King Khan is a man used to getting his own way and is very particular with who he chooses as his servants. Most of his personal servants are completely under his spell, but the rest of us within the palace know better," She whispered once more.

" Well, I'm most certainly not going to give myself to him in any way. I'd rather die than share his bed," I hissed angrily.

Anita chuckles, replying, " You've got spirit girl. I only hope that you'll be able to hold out until-" She stops in mid sentence and then shakes her head, thinking it better not to say anything more.

" Until what?" I asked.

" It is nothing. Just be sure to do your job well and you won't get punished. I've seen children been given the whip, so don't be under any illusions that you won't be given the same corporal punishment."

" And what counts as an offense around here?" I questioned.

" Anything they deem a act of rebellion or misconduct," She replied.

I huff, " Well that's assuring. How are we supposed to know what's good from bad if they don't issue any ground rules?"

She chuckles rather bitterly before opening a random oak wood door, " It's the devils playground around here. They will do as they please because they think they can, but that will change soon."

" What do you mean?" I asked, confused and more eager to know the meaning behind her cryptic messages.

She doesn't reply and instead leads to me a set of doors that leads to the main house, and what a house it is. Fit for a king indeed with it's lavish furs and beautiful oriental rugs. Paintings by artists like Van Gough and Leonardo Da Vinci grace the walls. Well, I guess they are like the Nazi's after all. They too plundered Europe's great art for their own selfish desires. It's sad to think that some of the great museums of the world have been plundered because of these augments and their selfish needs.

Not another word is uttered between the two of us as she leads me down a series of halls. She then stops in front of two double oak doors with ornate carvings on them. I gulp, knowing that we've finally reached my final destination. Beyond these doors is my future. Just when Anita's about to knock, she pauses when we both hear what sounds like an agonized moan.

" Wh-what's going on?" I stuttered rather fearfully.

Anita doesn't respond right away, no doubt due to the fear that seems to have temporarily paralyzed her body.

" Anita, please…what's going on?" I pleaded.

She finally responds after a few moments.

" Khan's punishing someone," She whispered harshly.

" For what?"

" I don't know, but let this be a lesson to you Masterson. Khan has no mercy."

I gulp, trembling in fear at the thought of what awaits me behind those doors. Then, the doors finally open to reveal a beautiful woman in white. Her hair is a dark brown, which is pulled up into a strict bun on the top of her head. Her grey eyes assess both Anita and I shrewdly.

" Well, well, well, the king's new slave has finally decided to grace us with her presence," She intoned rather mockingly.

I remain silent, determined not to let my hot tongue get the better of me.

" Let her in," A familiar baritone utters from within the room beyond.

" Yes sire," Anita replied before quickly ushering me into the room.

I take a hesitant step forward to see the familiar man in red sitting behind an oak wood desk. A computer on his right and what looks like an intercom on his left. The room itself however is rather lavish, but tasteful looking with its deep red velvet curtains with gold trimmings and whose walls is filled with more priceless art. The rest of the room is tastefully decorated with many other treasures no doubt plundered from museums. It makes me wonder if King Khan really cares about their culture significance, or if it's all for show?

His ice shard ice assesses me quietly, dissecting me like a bug under a microscope. I inwardly squirm with an emotion I can't place, which unnerves me even more.

" You may leave us Anita," He drawled.

" Yes, sire," She intoned before quietly shutting the door.

I now stand before him in silence as he continues to inspect me rather shrewdly from behind his desk. It is then that I see the puddle of blood beside the desk on the right. No doubt taken from the poor soul who dared defy this man, this so-called 'King' Khan, which ironically reminds me of _King Kong._ I swear to God if he were to turn into some huge gorilla and climb the Empire State building, I'd die laughing.

" Do you know why I have chosen you above all the others?" He suddenly says through dulcet tones.

" No, my Lord," I replied.

A slither of smirk graces his mouth before it returns to its neutral position.

" I chose you because you have fire in you, a fire that I'm curious to see become a flame. That, and you are rather pretty to look at," He replied in an almost bored tone as his fingers drummed against the desk.

" I'm so happy that you find me so physically appeasing, my Lord," I replied in a sarcastic tone.

This pretense is already irritating the crap out of me. Calling him " My Lord " and shit. A man such as him, who keeps slaves and beats them, is no man, but a mere savage. He doesn't deserve to be called King! However, he is a lot stronger than I am and is on the winning side of the table, as it were. I am in no position to challenge him in any way, and it sucks!

" You are to be up every morning at 6am. You will have an hour to attend to your needs before attending to mine," He said almost seductively, as if he's trying to lure me in already with his double meaning. The bastard! I'd rather bash my head against a rock then attend to those kinds of needs.

" Very well, My Lord. Is there anything else that you require?" I replied in a clipped, but respectful tone.

" You are to perform the common household duties that any servant would. Also, I require you to look your best when I have guests, is that understood?"

" Yes, my Lord," I replied through gritted teeth.

He then gets up from his seat from behind the desk and then stands before me. I inwardly shutter with that same unknown emotion that I felt when on the boat. Why does he have such an affect on me already? It's not fair! He is a genetically enhanced, but stunningly attractive freak-a-zoid! The only emotion I should feel is disgust. He then gently tilts my chin with his fingers until my eyes meet his.

" Such a pretty little thing, aren't you?" He intoned rather mockingly.

Anger swells within me and all I want to do is punch that handsome face of his. How dare he touch me like this? Ugh, it's disgusting…at least; I feel that it should be.

He chuckles and then lets releases me from his gentle grasp, but then suddenly grabs me by the forearm just as I try to pull away. He becomes serious, almost deadly looking as he gazes at me once more.

" Just know this, my little _kitten_. Should you disobey me in any way," He then pauses and gestures to the puddle of blood on the floor, " A pain beyond imagination will befall you," He finished.

I glare at him, wanting to lash out and curse obscenities at him, but I refrain from doing so. No need to poke the bare, especially this one. The blood on the floor is a testament to his savagery.

" Yes…my Lord," I almost hissed.

" Good," he chuckled and then finally releases me from his icy grasp.

" Raj, do show her to her new quarters, won't you," he intoned.

A young Indian man dressed in a simple white tunic and pants gently grabs me by the arm and then leads me away from the room. I immediately follow him, not wanting to be in the room with Khan for another second. The man seems to me to be the devil incarnate. So calm, composed and charming on the outside, but beneath those ice shard eyes lies a deadly snake.

Now I fully understand the reasons for Anita's fear. Unlike all the other augments that I've encountered so far, this one is intelligent, wise and deadly. I may not have known him long enough to form a valid opinion, but I pride myself on knowing how to read people pretty quickly. A savage he may be, but he is also a king, and a wise one at that. He is after all, the Great and Terrible, Khan.

**End Chapter**


	2. Chapter 2: He's a Rebel

**Disclaimer: I own nothing from the Star Trek Franchise. I only own my own characters and plot. **

**A/N: I'm so sorry for the long delay. So much has been going in my life, so, I really haven't had the time to write fanfiction. That and I'm in college, so my times limited. Anyways, I will try not make you all for the next chapter. **

**Take Care**

**Sexyknickers**

**Chapter 2: He's a Rebel**

**Chloe's P.O.V**

I sometimes wonder if I should've perished with my parents the day the augments found us. Surely death would've been a reprieve compared to the hell that I've been forced to endure on a daily basis. Despite my daily struggles, I've also found solace in the friendships that I've made since being here.

I've been here for almost two months and Khan has most certainly has lived up to his reputation. He is one hell of a dictator. He is a wise with his decisions and brutal to the point of savage when he wants to make a point. Everyone, including lower hierarchy augments, fears Khan. The local populace however sees him and his kind as saviors. It's sheer genius in my opinion, but their intentions are a frightening reality to those who see beyond their well-played illusion. They are here to annihilate us.

Today is just like any other day. It's the middle of the afternoon and I am cleaning Khan's study as I hum, _Think of me_, from _The Phantom of the Opera_. I smile as I remember when my aunt Estella had taken us to see the musical when it first premiered in New York. It was such a magical night and the music…oh the music, it was wonderful. I sigh as I continue to replay the night in my mind, remembering the music, the costumes, the sets and oh-so much more of that wonderfully magic night. Those times seem so far away now, like some wonderful dream.

I continue to hum as I dust one of the many bookshelves that lay against the wall. I gently finger some of the volumes of what looks like, rare editions of books such as _Bleak House_, by _Charles Dickens_ to _Mein Kamf_, by _Adolf Hitler._ I gasp, but am not surprised that Khan would have a copy of Hitler's manifesto in his study.

" It's probably a guide book, " I murmured to myself as I continue to dust.

Leave it Khan to get pointers from Adolf Hitler. Heck, he's probably one of his idols. It takes me almost two- hours to clean both sides of the bookshelf, which is from floor to ceiling and has many books that I would kill to get my hands on. My fingertips lightly brush each book as I gently caress them and I can't help but sigh as I take in their musty smell. I love to read, which is why I wanted to become a writer.

I was all set to go to Brown in the fall. I remember going shopping with my mom before all the shit with the augments started. We made a killing at _Walmart_ when we went shopping for school and dorm room supplies. I remember how excited my mom was and she even shed a few tears in the middle of the store, crying about how " My baby is all grown up" and what not. I remember rolling my eyes at the time and the embarrassment that I felt. Now that I look back I wish I hadn't been so callous. Why did I have to be the typical bitchy college student that was so eager to leave the nest? Why could I see how precious our time together was?

"_**It's because you no idea that a bunch of superhuman freaks were going to come and ruin your life!"**_My inner voice growled with utter contempt.

Ruin my life? HA! Completely decimated is more like it.

Another hour passes by the time I finish cleaning the study. My stomach grumbles in protest, not liking being kept so empty for an extended period of time.

" It's not my damn fault that my meal times are so far apart these days," I grumbled as I finished cleaning a rather perverted looking nude statue of a man and woman obviously having sex.

" Ugh, who the hell would have something like this in their office? It's so obscene," I muttered under my breath.

My spine immediately becomes rigid with fear when I hear a familiar baritone utter from behind me.

" I believe it belonged to the previous owner, may he rest in peace," He intoned rather gleefully.

I shutter to think what happened to the previous owner of this grand palace.

" I see, yes my lord. Good day," I said rather quickly before darting past him.

My attempt to flee is stopped by his rather firm grip on my arm.

" Did I say that you could leave, _slave_?"

I nearly snarl with utter contempt, but remain composed as I turn around to face him.

" No, master," I replied through gritted teeth.

His ice shard eyes assess me silently for a moment, making me feel uncomfortable. That familiar tickle up and down my spine reemerges with a vengeance and I find myself suddenly become all hot. He smiles at this, as if taking pleasure in my inner torment.

_**Oh how humiliating!**_

" You took an awfully long time in here, slave. I do hope you weren't reading one of my books," He intoned rather sternly, baiting me, trying to catch me out, the bastard!

" No master, but has reading suddenly become a crime amongst the servants?" I replied innocently.

His eyes narrow as his eyes become even colder, if that's even possible.

" No, but it is a crime to take something that isn't yours without asking. I believe that is a rudimentary fact in any given situation, wouldn't you agree?"

" I agree wholeheartedly sir, but I will reaffirm that I have never taken anything of yours without asking you first" I replied rather sharply.

" I see…" He drawled out before walking to his desk.

He takes a seat behind his desk and leans back in his chair as he continues to quietly observe me. He looks so elegant in his black jumpsuit with gold trimming. I almost blush when I see a bit of his chest beneath the folds of the satin fabric. Even here I can see how well built he is.

" _**Oh dear lord woman, get your hormones under control,"**_My inner voice scolded.

" Is there anything else that I can do for you, sir?"

" Yes, take a seat," He said and then gestures to the seat in front of him.

I gulp and then slowly make my way over to the seat. I sit down, fold my hands in my lap and then look him straight in the eyes. He raises an eyebrow at this, obviously not expecting the direct eye contact. I inwardly smile with glee, loving the brief feminine power that this one simple act gave me.

" You're hair," He said suddenly.

" My hair, my lord…?" I replied, bemused.

" Yes, it's up in that ridiculous braid. You should wear it down," He replied.

Okay, weird. Why the hell would he care about how I wear I my hair? Oh dear God, I hope he doesn't have some sort of sick hair fetish.

" But I like it this way, my lord. My hair is too long and it gets awful hot during the day as I'm going about my tas-" He quickly shushes me with a raised hand.

" _**You're in for it now Chloe..." **_My inner voice warned.

He sighs and is obvious displeased by my confidant outburst. He then gets up from his chair

" No, no. This won't do, this won't do at all," he sighed as he takes his place behind me.

My spine's rigid with fear and another more puzzling emotion that I'm unable to decipher at the moment. He then does something that shocks me to the core. He gently pulls out hairband and then starts to unravel my French braid with those long and dexterous fingers of his. I shiver with that same unknown emotion as he slowly unravels my long braid from its confines. When it's completely undone my thick blonde hair falls half way down my back.

He continues to gently thread his fingers through my hair as he detangles the knots created by the braid. I bite my lip as pleasurable tingles erupt all over my body. Dear Lord, this is so wrong. I shouldn't be enjoying his touches. I should be repelled! This man represents everything I hate, and yet here I am fighting back a pleasurable moan as he continues to brush my hair through his fingers.

" There now, much better," He stated before returning back to his chair behind he desk.

I continue to sit there still stunned by the impromptu hair play session that he had just subjected me to just now. Did that just happen? Did he seriously play with my hair just now?

" Mmmm… very good, you look lovely, more natural and feminine," He said with a gentle tone that startles me even further.

" I-I-" He interrupts my flow of speech, chuckling as he continues to eye me with a slight twinkle in his eyes that's disconcerting.

" Do not be so alarmed my pretty little kitten, I can be gentle you know. You needn't scurry around me like frightened little mouse all the time," He chuckled.

Scurry like a frightened little mouse? Is he serious? Better yet, is he high on something? He has to be. Maybe augments like to smoke a few reefers as the pastime. Hell, if that were the case I wouldn't mind smoking up a couple myself. I sure as hell need to relax after this last episode.

" Um, er-forgive me my lord, but is there, um, anything else that you require?"

" No my pet, you are dismissed," He intoned with a dismissive wave of his hands,

I dart out of the chair like the roadrunner and make my way to the door, but not before his familiar monotone stops me in my tracks.

" Should you require further intellectual stimulation, I would be more than happy to provide that for you," He drawled out with a husky tone.

I shiver with that same unknown emotion before darting out of the room like a scared rabbit. I can't help the tears that stream down my face when I finally reach the kitchens. Sophie, the cook, immediately notices distress and stops what she is doing to join me at the table.

" What is it dear girl? Did he hurt you?" She demanded gently.

I shake my head as and then immediately recount the entire incident with Khan to her. Eloise, the kitchen girl hands me a cup of tea and then takes a seat beside Sophie.

" The man is intolerable!" Sophie hissed as she nibbles on a water biscuit.

" They are all subhuman scum, he is the worst!" Eloise interjected rather angrily.

Her knuckles are white as she clutches her teacup. I see the unbridled rage in Eloise's eyes and understand why she hates the augments so much. She too, like so many others, has lost her loved ones because of the augments. She lived in a quaint little town in the South of France with her husband and new born, but she and her family were not able to escape the "purge" as the augments so eloquently put it. Long story short, her husband and newborn baby boy accidently died in a house fire while she survived, shorty captured after their deaths and then finally shipped here.

I've heard many other horror stories from the other slaves, all equally as horrifying as the next. The very idea of freedom has been obliterated from our minds, but one can hope, right? Sure the augments have taken everything from us, but the human spirit is strong and I still like to believe that there is a slither of hope buried beneath the rubble. Not everyone is like me though. I 've seen a lot of people who have given up hope all together.

I can't help but feel angry with them for submissiveness and yet I can't blame them for giving in either. The current human situation is a rather dismal one and that light at the end of the tunnel is so far away that there is nothing but an all- consuming darkness.

" What am I going to do?" I sighed.

Sophie and Eloise eye me sympathetically, but both choose to remain silent. What can they say anyways? No amount of sympathetic words will change the fact my life is now based on the whims of a complete tyrant.

" You do your job and stay out of his wandering eye," Sophie replied.

Eloise glares rather scathingly at Sophie before looking at me.

" And what does that solve?" She spat, her French accent heavy with anger.

" Well, what else is the poor girl supposed to do? If she goes against Khan she'll be dead faster than you can skin a cat," Sophie replied.

" But I can't just let him play around with me like a ruddy doll, " I interjected rather angrily.

" Or worse," Eloise muttered.

Then, like clockwork, Anita comes bustling in with a basket full of towels. I smile as she grabs a bottle of gin from under the sink. Alcohol is not allowed among the servants, but she always manages to smuggle in banned items.

" I bloody puffed out," She sighed as she pours some gin into a coffee mug.

" And you didn't think to pour us all a glass?" I chuckled.

" Oui! I smuggled in the damn stuff, so I get first dibs," She retorted.

" If you get caught with that you'll be put in the stocks for sure," Sophie reprimanded in her usual motherly way.

" Or worse," I interjected.

I eye Eloise once more whose face is scrunched in concentration. She's always been such an intense person, not able to make light of the dismal situation. I feel sad for her because sometimes it seems as if she carries the entire weight of the world on her tiny shoulders. I wish there was something I could do to assuage her pain, but alas, no amount of comfort will give her back what she's lost.

" What's up?" I said to Eloise.

" You know if you think too hard you'll be likely to have a brain aneurism," Anita chuckled as she takes a large swig from her mug.

Eloise scowls at Anita, clearly annoyed by her constant jesting.

" How can you be so damn chipper? Can't you see that Chloe's in trouble? Khan wants her and you know what happens to Khans human bed mates," Eloise snapped.

" I don't know where you're getting that idea from Eloise, Khan doesn't bed us humans, he despises us, remember? You're putting too much stock in the rumors that run rampant around here," Anita replied with an almost reassuring tone, but it falls short. Once Eloise has an idea in her head she won't let it go. She's like a Jack Russell terrier in that regard.

The thought of becoming Khan's concubine both frightens and strangely arouses me. I'm not going to lie; Khan's rather attractive for an augment. Well, most augments are good looking because of their superior genes, but Khan seems to take it to a whole new level. He has this magnetic personality that seems to draw you in whenever you happen to be in his presence.

" Anita's right Eloise. You know how Khan is about humans," I said, trying to reassure her even though deep down inside I'm not so sure myself.

Then, before Eloise can reply the kitchen door opens and in comes Raj, Khans personal manservant. He too despises the augments for reasons unknown to me. He is rather secretive and mostly keeps to himself. However Raj's usual calm demeanor is replaces by a fearful and almost frantic look.

" Bloody hell Raj, what's the matter with you?" Anita asked.

Raj doesn't respond as he checks all the windows and doors, as if he's afraid of some invisible intruder in the shadows.

" Raj—a-are you okay?" I asked.

" They're onto me, this is it, and I'm done for!" He replied frantically as he begins to pace up and down the kitchen floor.

Eloise and Anita's eyes both widen in shock while Sophie and I continue to be completely baffled by Raj's sudden change in behavior.

" How did it happen Raj? Who saw you?" Anita asked rather calmly as she drummed her fingers against the wood.

" It's obvious what happened," Eloise hissed, " He let his guard down because he'd gotten too cocky."

" Will someone please tell me what's going on?" I asked, still feeling confused.

" Yes, I think someone should, don't you three? " Sophie replied rather sternly.

Eloise, Anita and Raj look each other and then to us. I can't help but squirm uncomfortably in my seat. The air has suddenly become think with fear as it crackles like a lightening storm.

" Well?" Sophie insisted.

" We can't tell them, it's not safe," Anita intoned.

" But if we don't they too could be implicated regardless," Raj replied.

" Implicated in what Raj?" I asked in a nervous tone.

He then looks me straight in the eyes, full of determination and then says, " The plot to overthrow the Augments."

The room suddenly goes deathly quiet. My mouth opens and closes like a fish as I try to absorb this new set of information. Sure I had heard rumors of humans rebelling against the augments, but those small revolts usually ended pretty quickly. A few months ago a small group of humans were caught and hung in the town square where their bloated bodies were displayed for days before they were taken down due to the stench.

Sophie is the first to speak. Her face is riddled with shock and anger.

" You fools, have you already forgotten what happened to the last band of humans that tried to go against them!" she hissed.

" Well we can't just sit back and do nothing Sophie. Before the augments came we were free to be human and now were nothing but cattle t-to be slaugh-slaughtered," Eloise replied with a tone full of unbridled emotion.

" They've taken away so much from us already, but most importantly, they've taken away our dignity," Anita interjected with a passionate anger that stirs the anger within me. Determination.

" They're right Sophie, we can't just sit back and let them work us to death as they slaughter the rest of us like animals. A line must be drawn somewhere!" I interjected almost as passionately as Anita.

" Bu-but you'll all be killed or even worse. Especially you Chloe, Khan has taken a strange liking to you and if he was here right now then…."

" Then he'd do what Sophie, kill me? Surely death would be a reprieve compared to this hell we are forced to endure." I replied.

" There are worse things than death, Chloe. He will take you most brutally and probably torture you to the point where death would seem like some pipe dream, " Sophie replied.

" Something must be done Sophie!" Eloise interjected rather passionately.

" How did they even find out in the first place?" Sophie intoned rather seriously.

Raj finally sits down after getting tired of frantically pacing the floor. His usual immaculate appearance is rather disheveled. Tears stream down his face as he continues to run his fingers through his black hair.

" They probably have someone on the inside," Anita interjected thoughtfully.

" It's not surprising. I bet the augments would pay handsomely to any human for information if they want to stay in power. After all, the human population is vastly larger than the augments. If we could assemble enough people we could easily overtake them with the right strategy," I intoned.

" If we had someone close enough to Khan, someone he could trust…." Raj interjected and then looks at me.

Anita and Eloise both look at me. Sophie scoffs, obviously disgusted by the implication.

" Khan would never trust a human and asking Chloe to get close to him means that she'll have to sleep with him," Sophie said rather angrily as she makes her way to the stove.

" Like hell!" I exclaimed, " I ain't touching that man with a ten- foot pole!"

" But you're in an ideal position Chloe and besides, you might not even have to sleep with him. Just-erm, cuddle up with him, so to speak," Raj replied.

" Cuddle up with him?" I scoffed.

I throw down my empty cup in outrage.

" Oh yes, because Khan's just a big old teddy bear and when I tickle his belly he'll giggle like Winnie the freaking Poo!" I yelled.

" But-" I cut Anita off with a scathing glare, " But nothing Anita. I'm aware that Khan has taken a strange liking to me, but I'm sure as hell am NOT going to let it go any further than a mere infatuation. So, whatever plan you have whirling within your mind, you can count me out!" I yelled and then storm rather angrily out of the room.

Later on after having a light supper in the servant's mess hall, I finally make my way to bed. Sleep evades me as the recent conversation whirls within my brain like a thunderstorm. Apart of me would rather fight than live like this while the other part of me is scared shitless of even thinking of it. In my opinion, Raj is as good as dead and Anita and Eloise are probably right behind him. Heck, I could even be even closer to the noose for just knowing about the plot, but something tells me that if that should happen, Khan would spare me.

I continue to toss and turn for another two hours before finally relenting to my insomnia. I quietly make my way to my door when I suddenly hear a harsh cry coming from the other room. I press my ear to the wall where I heard the cry and try to listen intently, but the sounds of the voices coming from the other room is muffled. I immediately grab my empty glass beside my bed and use it to isolate the sound so I could hear the voices more clearly.

" _It was only a matter of time Hastings. Raj is our man," _A cold male voice intoned.

" _Ple-ple-please, have mercy," _I distinctly heard what sounds like Raj's voice pleading with the two augments.

Another harsh cry rings out after a not subtle thump rings through the air. I squeeze my eyes shut as I imagine Raj's pain. Oh if I could only help him.

" _He's only a lackey," _A cold female voice intoned rather icily, _ " We need the names of the other perpetrators."_

" _Indeed you're right Hastings. We will take him to his highness. I'm sure he'll be able to extract the needed information out of him," _The male augment intoned.

Another loud thumb followed by scuffle follows before my brain registers the situation fully. My eyes widen when I think of Eloise and Anita. Oh dear lord, Raj could never hold out against Khan. Guilt washes over me. I'm such a fool for letting my fear get the better of me when good people like Raj are risking their lives to save our race.

" I must do something," I muttered to myself.

More determined than ever, I immediately grab my black cloak and exit my room as quietly as possible. I must warn Anita and Eloise before they get to them. Come hell or high water, I will swallow my fear and try to save Eloise and Anita from Raj's fate if it's the last thing that I do.

END CHAPTER

**BTW:**** I want to thank everyone who's read, favorited, reviewed and what not. I so do appreciate you all taking the time to read and appreciate my stories. **


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